Hello I am a lurker but would appreciate anyone's help.

I’ll get straight to the point…

My Ninja 250 loss all her oil on the freeway while going about 75mph.

Pulled over immediately after hearing a pop and the bike only traveled 300 ft.

Not sure how long i traveled without oil though :/

The following day I used JB Weld to patch the hole where it leaked and I changed the filter and checked the screen for debris.

Shortly after adding fresh oil the motor made a horrible noise as I hit the starter and did a few turns but it seized and wouldn’t turn anymore.

Wondering what my options are for repair???

Or if any of you know of a wrecked pregen with a good motor please let me know.

This bike isn't worth much, but I enjoyed riding it and would like to have her running again.

Any help would be appreciated.

I believe the engine is toast. Not worth putting money into if you ask me.

As always keep a close eye on oil level. Did the oil light ever come on?

Yeah, I won't put any money on this motor, but i will look inside of her and see what happen.

Found a guy selling one with a good motor. Unfortunately he wants $800.00 for a bike with no paperwork and no carburetor(s)

offered $400.00

Yes after the pop the oil light came on..

I did a pre ride inspection and didn't notice an oil leak or it runing low on oil

I believe the engine is toast. Not worth putting money into if you ask me.

As always keep a close eye on oil level. Did the oil light ever come on?

..........The following day I used JB Weld to patch the hole where it leaked..........

May I ask you to describe the cause of your misfortune a little more in detail?

Didn't the rear tire slide rolling over so much oil?

Yes, your best option is locating and buying a used engine in good condition.

If you have not yet, read this thread:
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=147647

throw in a used engine, then take apart blown engine and learn a thing or two.





I heard the engine in a R........awwww screw it:

http://images.motorcycle-usa.com/PhotoGallerys/08_yamaha_r6_main.jpg

the hole where it leaked


Yeaaaaah, I'd like to see a pic if that if you get the chance. What caused the hole??

The hole was probably a rod going loose. Pictures please.

Sorry you need a new engine. They are not that expensive on eBay and easy to swap.

Yes, pictures please. I think a rod is a balanced set so you might need two of them. The rods are matched to the crank via the bearings. There are markings on both the crank and the rods that indicate which bearings to use. If you get a set of new rods with different markings, then you'll have to buy new bearings too.

You'll also need 4 new rod bolts and 4 nuts. You really shouldn't use the old ones. They are made of special one time stuff. I tried reusing mine and they wouldn't torque, they just stretch.

Just curious, but how many miles on the blown engine?

Also, if JB-weld works, then great, but you may ultimately need a welder to fix the hole. And I should mention that a whole new case runs about $35 on ebay.

Ultimately, its your choice whether you want to fix or just buy a used engine, but the problem with used engines is that its a gamble and you already own a used engine. If you need a lot of new parts to fix the old one, then they will add up fast. If the crank is bad, then its no longer cost effective to rebuild. The advantage to fixing the old engine is that when its done, assuming you did it right, it will be a brand new engine.

When you pull it apart, be sure to examine the cylinder tails and piston skirts to make sure they aren't chipped. When rods break, they have a tendency to damage those.

Good luck.

The first oil change I did I stripped the oil drain bolt and had a temp plug installed that I thought was snug.

The temp plug must have blow off and dumped the oil on the highway.

That's how i got into this mess.

Afterwards the JB Weld was used to just keep the (original) oil drain plugged for good and I installed a 2008-2012 ninja 250 oil drain instead.

Unfortunately the engine wont turn and I'll be dissembling the whole motor next weekend.

Yes, pictures please. I think a rod is a balanced set so you might need two of them. The rods are matched to the crank via the bearings. There are markings on both the crank and the rods that indicate which bearings to use. If you get a set of new rods with different markings, then you'll have to buy new bearings too.

You'll also need 4 new rod bolts and 4 nuts. You really shouldn't use the old ones. They are made of special one time stuff. I tried reusing mine and they wouldn't torque, they just stretch.

Just curious, but how many miles on the blown engine?

Also, if JB-weld works, then great, but you may ultimately need a welder to fix the hole. And I should mention that a whole new case runs about $35 on ebay.

Ultimately, its your choice whether you want to fix or just buy a used engine, but the problem with used engines is that its a gamble and you already own a used engine. If you need a lot of new parts to fix the old one, then they will add up fast. If the crank is bad, then its no longer cost effective to rebuild. The advantage to fixing the old engine is that when its done, assuming you did it right, it will be a brand new engine.

When you pull it apart, be sure to examine the cylinder tails and piston skirts to make sure they aren't chipped. When rods break, they have a tendency to damage those.

Good luck.

The blown engine has 5,500 miles.

Thanks for the info.

I'll take her apart and see what needs replacing.

Bummer...

Keep your eye on this section - http://www.ninjette.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=16 - for a used replacement engine if you feel the rest of the bike is in good condition.

You're lucky you didn't go down when the plug blew out. If you were cornering at the time it would have been a different story.

Bummer...

Keep your eye on this section - http://www.ninjette.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=16 - for a used replacement engine if you feel the rest of the bike is in good condition.

You're lucky you didn't go down when the plug blew out. If you were cornering at the time it would have been a different story.

Thanks, and I agree I was lucky not to slide

........The temp plug must have blow off and dumped the oil on the highway.

That's how i got into this mess........

Any motorcyclist following your track must have had its own mess. :( :( :(

The first oil change I did I stripped the oil drain bolt and had a temp plug installed that I thought was snug.

Ok, that is something else. Looks like you ran it at high speed for an unknown length of time with no oil and burned up the engine. You wont know anything until you split it and take it apart. At a minimum, your bearings are toast. And like I said before, if the crank is ruined, its time for another engine. The probability of a ruined crank is very high.

Oh that drain plug is definitely the culprit. You may want to get a torque wrench in the future....

http://ventura.craigslist.org/mpo/4102794540.html

found a donor motor

Told the guy I'll pick her up today if he accepts $300.00.

Will this motor work? He doesn't know the mileage.

No paperwork usually = stolen. Ask for VIN# which you can check yourself. Its almost a sure bet that its stolen if he doesn't have the keys either.

I'm not sure how anyone can not know the mileage when all they have to do is look at the odometer.

Is he willing to prove that the engine runs? Or does he have another excuse?

Notice that the bike has been sitting for a long time, probably 10 years or more, given the amount dust that has collected on it. I doubt if anyone has sat on it much less ridden it in that time.

If he is willing to let you verify the VIN, which is free and easy online, and assuming it does not come back stolen, then I would proceed with caution. At the very least, you need to take a battery or jumper pack hook it directly to the starter to verify that the engine does at least turn over. But having sat that long, its highly unlikely that it will start because the carbs are probably gummed up.

If the engine looks good, and its not stolen, then I'd consider the $500 for the whole bike. That way you have plenty of spare parts.

That whole bike is worth like 300 tops as it sits. No keys, title, or proof that it runs. I wouldnt buy it. Especially if you dont feel confident in getting it running, cleaning carbs, valves, oil change. But theres nothing saying that engine is good.

That whole bike is worth like 300 tops as it sits. No keys, title, or proof that it runs. I wouldnt buy it. Especially if you dont feel confident in getting it running, cleaning carbs, valves, oil change. But theres nothing saying that engine is good.

I'll keep my eyes out for a better engine. THIS SUCKS FYI

Usually ebay is the best place to buy used engines. The sellers don't want to get a bad rep from you so they tend to be honest. The problem is shipping costs. But sometimes you can find a guy that is within driving distance and you can pick it up in person. And sometimes you just get lucky. I just bought one for $400 + free shipping. I was convinced that there was something wrong with it when I bought it, so I tore it down. Turns out nothing was wrong except worn bearings which is acceptable for an engine with 20K miles on it.

that guy on Craigslist said the bike has 130,000 miles :eek:

I am pretty sure he means 13,000...

Asked him to send me a picture

Yeah it only has 13,000.00

He has the keys and the reason why he doesn't have a title slip is because he didn't finish paying it off due to bankruptcy.

Yeah it only has 13,000.00

He has the keys and the reason why he doesn't have a title slip is because he didn't finish paying it off due to bankruptcy.
That would mean he doesn't actually own it then.

That would mean he doesn't actually own it then.

This is true.

I'll keep searching

That would explain why its been sitting so long. He probably couldn't get a tag or insurance once he stopped paying for it. I'm not sure how it works there, but in FL, the bank keeps the title until its paid off. He definitely sounds dishonest so I wouldn't deal with him.

Like I said, try ebay. You can set up email alerts so when one gets posted, it will email you.

Yeah it only has 13,000.00

He has the keys and the reason why he doesn't have a title slip is because he didn't finish paying it off due to bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy is a fickle thing from state to state, so be for sure. But in general, if their bankruptcy has been discharged, he DOES own the bike and just hasn't completed the paperwork to get the lien off the title. They had their chance to be included as a creditor in the bankruptcy case. If not, their loss.

Be safe rather than sorry here, pass on this one and find a better deal.

I heard the engine in a R........awwww screw it:


the real question is when does your r6 arrive? too late to upgrade to r1?

the real question is when does your r6 arrive? too late to upgrade to r1?

I got offered $14,000.00 for my paid off Toyota Tacoma... SHould I sell that and get an R6??? :D:thumbup:

JKJK the truck is used for transporting my dirtbikes

I found a pregen motor for almost free

had to drive really far for it though.

Will post pics of the the project:D

here is a pic.. I think this was a wreck bike. Hopefully the engine runs.

Does the motor even run? lol

Does the motor even run? lol

It spun from the crank, so that was good enough for me.

I just finished the whole swap..

RUNS GOOOD :D

My petcock isn't flowing to well after taking it apart and cleaning it...:mad:

What's your base of judgement for the flow rate? compared flow rate with petcock on prime before and after your cleaned?

Make sure your vacuum lines are hooked up properly and there isn't any leaks.

What's your base of judgement for the flow rate? compared flow rate with petcock on prime before and after your cleaned?

Make sure your vacuum lines are hooked up properly and there isn't any leaks.

I only have about 16 oz of gasoline in the tank at the moment, so the flow rate on reserve is almost non existent just drops.

I'll fill the tank tomorrow and see if the flow rate on Prime has improved.

Here we have a picture of a 2001 Ninja 250cc engine with only 5,499 miles.

It won't spin, so I will try and disassemble the motor and figure out what happen :confused:

Here we have a picture of a 2001 Ninja 250cc engine with only 5,499 miles.

It won't spin, so I will try and disassemble the motor and figure out what happen :confused:

I would begin by inspecting the valve train.
If nothing is broken or rusted in there, I would next inject some 50/50 mix of marvelous oil (or transmission fluid) / acetone through the spark plugs hole, letting each cylinder soak the mix for one or two days, while cleaning the carbs.

If frozen pistons is the only problem that stops it from turning, that trick will do, avoiding further surgery and new gaskets.

There is no prime on a pregen petcock. A low flow problem may be more from the lack of gas as you suspected. The other culprit might be that the intake screens are clogged. But if you just cleaned it, there should be no problem. I suggest you put a short tube on the vacuum line and see if it opens when you suck on it. It shouldn't take very much suction.

Congrats on finding a new engine.

There is no prime on a pregen petcock. A low flow problem may be more from the lack of gas as you suspected. The other culprit might be that the intake screens are clogged. But if you just cleaned it, there should be no problem. I suggest you put a short tube on the vacuum line and see if it opens when you suck on it. It shouldn't take very much suction.

Congrats on finding a new engine.

Thanks

It was a pain in the @ss finding a used motor.

The Petcock was completely disassembled and cleaned with carburetor cleaner. The Petcock intake screens were falling apart. It's gnarly how nasty the fuel system gets..

I'll try and see if it's the vacuum as you suggested.

I would begin by inspecting the valve train.
If nothing is broken or rusted in there, I would next inject some 50/50 mix of marvelous oil (or transmission fluid) / acetone through the spark plugs hole, letting each cylinder soak the mix for one or two days, while cleaning the carbs.

If frozen pistons is the only problem that stops it from turning, that trick will do, avoiding further surgery and new gaskets.

I'll try that for sure.

THanks!

I'll be starting a new thread in regards to the old motor.:thumbup:

There is no prime on a pregen petcock.

:doh:


The Petcock was completely disassembled and cleaned with carburetor cleaner. The Petcock intake screens were falling apart. It's gnarly how nasty the fuel system gets..



Don't use carb cleaner to clean stuff containing rubber. It can cause the rubber to dry up and/or swell.

:doh:



Don't use carb cleaner to clean stuff containing rubber. It can cause the rubber to dry up and/or swell.

got it :thumbup:

Had to look up the difference between Prime and On.. for the Petcock...

I still need to do a few things to this motor. (I don't how many miles it had or the history)

1. Change or check spark plug)
2. Valve Clearance
3. Timing Chain Tension
4 Fresh Oil new filter
5. Wash the motor

.......Had to look up the difference between Prime and On.. for the Petcock...

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Rebuilding_the_petcock/fuel_tap

Had to look up the difference between Prime and On.. for the Petcock...

Prime would free flow. ON only flows with a vacuum.

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Rebuilding_the_petcock/fuel_tap

Thanks !

I must of effed up the rubber gasket with carb cleaner

You are welcome :)

Maybe not bad. If the membrane is torn, you'll see one or two things. First, you might see a leak from the air hole on the side. Second, when you suck on the vacuum line, you get a mouthful of gas.

If you have gas in the tank and you suck on the vacuum line and gas doesn't flow, it either means the screens are clogged or you aren't sucking hard enough.

If it takes a lot of suction to open the valve, it could be that the carb cleaner "glued" the o-ring in place (the one around the metal thing attached to the membrane). If that is true, a trip to the local hardware store will fix the problem.

Also, the screens need to be intact because if debris gets in there, it will jam in there. If they are bad, I don't think you can buy new ones so its time for a new petcock.

Maybe not bad. If the membrane is torn, you'll see one or two things. First, you might see a leak from the air hole on the side. Second, when you suck on the vacuum line, you get a mouthful of gas.

If you have gas in the tank and you suck on the vacuum line and gas doesn't flow, it either means the screens are clogged or you aren't sucking hard enough.

If it takes a lot of suction to open the valve, it could be that the carb cleaner "glued" the o-ring in place (the one around the metal thing attached to the membrane). If that is true, a trip to the local hardware store will fix the problem.

Also, the screens need to be intact because if debris gets in there, it will jam in there. If they are bad, I don't think you can buy new ones so its time for a new petcock.

Thanks for your help! :D I have the California version of the bike so i have a CA emission magic box and 3 hoses that attach to my tank.

I had the vacuum hose wrong and now i get good fuel deliver. :thumbup:

Did a 30 mile ride with the replacement motor and it seems to ride nice.

I did keep the RPMS below 10,000 tho just to be safe.

I am not sure how long this motor has sat around for.

Here is a picture of her.


ALLL DONE this nightmare is over :thumbup:

Glad to hear it. :dancecool::thumbup::clapping:

Today I hit 400 miles since the motor swap.

:bounce:

........ALLL DONE this nightmare is over :thumbup:

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Yes after the pop the oil light came on..

I did a pre ride inspection and didn't notice an oil leak or it runing low on oil

I had a similar experience with my 250, I had a slow oil leak and didn't notice because when I washed the bike (every other week, along with other regular maintenance i.e. cleaning the chain) I washed away the oil trail. The only real way to know you have a leak other than checking the oil as part of your pre-ride (a good thing to do) is to take the fairings off before you wash your bike, you'll see it almost immediately if you do that. That way you'll know if anything is up and you can avoid redoing this whole fiasco, it sucks and I have mad respect for you being able to fix it up. I've had my engine opened up for a while debating if its worth it for me to get a connecting rod and a piston to try to rebuild it or just junk it and keep a few parts as a memento (the tank (has a decal that I really like on it) and keys are the only thing that really strike me as being worth it to keep)

I had a similar experience with my 250, I had a slow oil leak and didn't notice because when I washed the bike (every other week, along with other regular maintenance i.e. cleaning the chain) I washed away the oil trail. The only real way to know you have a leak other than checking the oil as part of your pre-ride (a good thing to do) is to take the fairings off before you wash your bike, you'll see it almost immediately if you do that. That way you'll know if anything is up and you can avoid redoing this whole fiasco, it sucks and I have mad respect for you being able to fix it up. I've had my engine opened up for a while debating if its worth it for me to get a connecting rod and a piston to try to rebuild it or just junk it and keep a few parts as a memento (the tank (has a decal that I really like on it) and keys are the only thing that really strike me as being worth it to keep)

Thanks for the tip.

My post may show that it was a piece of cake finding the motor and doing the swap.

The most difficult aspect is finding a donor motor that won't break the bank.

I hope you are able to get your bike up and running.

If i get my old motor to run you'll be the first to know :thumbup:

Really it's for financial reasons that I would prefer to rebuild rather than replace, at least for now. If/when I get it running again it'll either become a track bike or I'll give it to my older brother as a gift since he's interested in riding motorcycles but doesn't really have the budget to go out and get one himself. As it is there are other things that would also need to be fixed and while none of it is really that big of a deal replacement parts are a lot easier to get when you don't drop $3-500 on an engine. Thankfully this thread has shown me that it is reasonably possible to do when I have the budget free for it down the line so long as I don't junk the bike to free up shed space.

Really it's for financial reasons that I would prefer to rebuild rather than replace, at least for now. If/when I get it running again it'll either become a track bike or I'll give it to my older brother as a gift since he's interested in riding motorcycles but doesn't really have the budget to go out and get one himself. As it is there are other things that would also need to be fixed and while none of it is really that big of a deal replacement parts are a lot easier to get when you don't drop $3-500 on an engine. Thankfully this thread has shown me that it is reasonably possible to do when I have the budget free for it down the line so long as I don't junk the bike to free up shed space.

I just read your sig.. You have a :bow:Ninja 300 lol i would not have finished my project if i had that.

I just read your sig.. You have a :bow:Ninja 300 lol i would not have finished my project if i had that.

yep, funny thing is that I would probably have fixed my 250 by now if I hadn't gotten it, but it should all work out someday down the road. My 300 is my main bike now and my 250 would either make a sick track bike or an amazing birthday gift to my brother. I keep getting hung up on things that I want for my 300 and continuously getting more gear with my free money though hahaha

yep, funny thing is that I would probably have fixed my 250 by now if I hadn't gotten it, but it should all work out someday down the road. My 300 is my main bike now and my 250 would either make a sick track bike or an amazing birthday gift to my brother. I keep getting hung up on things that I want for my 300 and continuously getting more gear with my free money though hahaha

Not riding for a while makes you become resourceful.

how is the upgrade? Are the 50cc worth it? I am thinking of buying a Ninja 300 myself.

The power upgrade isn't that big up top, with my gearing altered my 250 was topping out at higher speeds than my 300. Then again I haven't really pushed my 300 nearly as long for a top speed. The extra power is felt with a passenger and when cruising around you can pull a bit more to pass people, it's much better but it's not night and day power difference like a 600 would be. What I noticed was the better stock suspension and fuel injection. Those two things make it a massive improvement over the pregen 250, the tire sizes are much better too (140 rear and can fit 150 so you have easy access to some very sticky rubber) I love the modern feel of the bike and with riding 2up from time to time the extra 50cc is great. I'd change out the front brake pads pretty quickly though for better braking feel. Also having abs is so convenient when you tend to smash the rear brake pedal a bit too hard. The tank feels better (it's a bit bigger) but stomp grip puts them fairly even in that respect. Really the biggest reason to get a 300 after owning a 250 is for the fuel injection, being able to start right up regardless of the weather is awesome.

The power upgrade isn't that big up top, with my gearing altered my 250 was topping out at higher speeds than my 300. Then again I haven't really pushed my 300 nearly as long for a top speed. The extra power is felt with a passenger and when cruising around you can pull a bit more to pass people, it's much better but it's not night and day power difference like a 600 would be. What I noticed was the better stock suspension and fuel injection. Those two things make it a massive improvement over the pregen 250, the tire sizes are much better too (140 rear and can fit 150 so you have easy access to some very sticky rubber) I love the modern feel of the bike and with riding 2up from time to time the extra 50cc is great. I'd change out the front brake pads pretty quickly though for better braking feel. Also having abs is so convenient when you tend to smash the rear brake pedal a bit too hard. The tank feels better (it's a bit bigger) but stomp grip puts them fairly even in that respect. Really the biggest reason to get a 300 after owning a 250 is for the fuel injection, being able to start right up regardless of the weather is awesome.


Thanks! Its nice hearing a review from someone who actually upgraded from the exact same bike as mine.